John Astley dethrones Neil Robertson at the UK Championship

John Astley became the latest amateur to knock out a top seed at the 2021 UK Championship as he stunned defending champion Neil Robertson in Round One.

Astley, one of nine amateur top-ups in this year’s UK Championship, pulled off one of the biggest results of his career as he knocked out the world number four with a commanding 6-2 victory.

Gateshead’s Astley, who dropped off the main tour in 2020, produced a dominant display to become the second amateur to beat a UK Champion this week after Si Jiahui stunned Shaun Murphy on the opening day.

The 32-year-old took the opening frame with a break of 74, and after Robertson levelled, Astley clinched the next two frames to move 3-1 in front at the interval.

A break of 83 extended Astley’s advantage, before Robertson stopped the rot in style with a break of 124.

Astley’s response was equally emphatic as he made a break of 119 to make it 5-3 before holding his nerve in the following frame to seal victory.

Elsewhere, 2011 UK Champion Judd Trump raced to a 6-1 victory over World Seniors Champion David Lilley.

Trump, last year’s beaten finalist, picked up from where he left off in winning the Champion of Champions on Sunday as he swept aside his opponent with high breaks of 100 and 132.

Two-time UK finalist Mark Allen reeled off five consecutive frames from 2-1 down to defeat Ireland’s Michael Judge 6-2.

Ali Carter avenged his defeat to Jimmy White at the York Barbican in 2017 by defeating the 1992 UK Champion 6-3 with a top break of 134.

Ryan Day’s poor start to the season continued as he slumped to a 6-3 defeat at the hands of veteran Peter Lines.

Andy Hicks produced a magnificent break of 135 in the deciding frame to seal a 6-5 victory over 2015 finalist Liang Wenbo in an unscheduled second session.

Masters Champion Yan Bingtao whitewashed Hong Kong’s Ng On Yee with high breaks of 67, 100, 107 and 92.

Former World Champion Stuart Bingham narrowly avoided a First Round banana skin as he edged out 19-year-old Scotsman Dean Young in a last-frame decider.

Sam Craigie saw off three-time UK finalist Ken Doherty 6-3, while 2006 World Champion Graeme Dott defeated Jamie O’Neill by the same scoreline with three century breaks to his name.

The Second Round commences in York on Saturday afternoon after a break in play on Friday.

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UK Championship Snooker 2021 Day Three Results

Thursday November 25

Round One

Morning Session
Tian Pengfei 6-5 Simon Lichtenberg
Ben Woollaston 6-4 Rory McLeod
Joe Perry 6-1 Fraser Patrick
Lyu Haotian 2-6 Gao Yang
Martin Gould 6-1 Barry Pinches
Joe O’Connor 6-4 Fergal O’Brien
Liang Wenbo 5-6 Andy Hicks
Zhao Xintong 6-4 Yuan SiJun

Afternoon Session
Neil Robertson 2-6 John Astley
Jordan Brown 6-4 Duane Jones
Luca Brecel 6-2 Xu Si
Yan Bingtao 6-0 Ng On Yee
Ali Carter 6-3 Jimmy White
Jimmy Robertson 6-5 Bai Langning
Graeme Dott 6-3 Jamie O’Neill
Martin O’Donnell 6-3 Lukas Kleckers

Evening Session
Stuart Bingham 6-5 Dean Young
Judd Trump 6-1 David Lilley
Mark Allen 6-2 Michael Judge
Michael Holt 6-4 Zak Surety
Sam Craigie 6-3 Ken Doherty
Ryan Day 3-6 Peter Lines
Robert Milkins 6-4 Louis Heathcote
Hossein Vafaei 6-4 Pang Junxu